holtrhulainfandomcom-20200214-history
User blog:WildloughRhulain/The Quean and the Rhulain Book One- Blackrudder's Prophecy
There's a legend that two warriors will come together, a sable and an otter. The otter will be a good healer, she will come willingly from peace into war. First they'll be enemies, at each other's throats. Then hearts and minds will change. A mission lies between the confused stew and the jumbled thorn (TBC) --Blackrudder's Prophecy __TOC__ Author's Notes This isn't canon timeline, it's an alternate universe crossover between High Rhulain and Sable Quean. I always wanted to see what a crossover with the two novels would be like. 'Prologue: A Rhulain's Light' I'd woke early this morning to find a young kitt of our holt, Kyria Streambattle, dead. I'd started screaming in grief, waking every otter in Holt Summerdell, and then raced from the cave. Leatho Shellhound panicked. "As upset as Queen Tiria is, she's likely to do harm to herself, mates! '''We have to find her and stop her!" The terrified otterclans tore from the holt at a sprint, splitting up. Blindly, I stumbled through brush and over rocks, climbing to the top of the bluff that protected Holt Summerdell from the north winds. It was a long, hard climb, but grief drove me forward. Upon reaching the top I finally paused, sobbing brokenly and gazing despondently out over the drop. The sea, spanning out into eternity below me, seemed peaceful past the violent, angry waves. I could see the wave's break; I could feel the rhythmic thunder of the water crashing into the base of the cliff. I'd shed the coronet and breastplate of High Rhulain when trying to rescue the kitt. Though the wind was fierce, attacking me and tearing at the simple green shirt and kilt I now wore like the claws of our former enemies, the wildcats, I stood my ground. ''Kyria. . . . "S''he was j-j-just a k-k-kitt! Wh-Why?!?! ''KYRIA!" I screamed the kitt's name in grief at the tops of my lungs. ''My fault. . . . ''I managed to get my breath, my eyes took the look of a deadbeast's as I stepped closer to the edge. My thoughts were dark, ruthless in their sniping insistence. ''You failed her, Tiria. You're a failure, a useless burden to the clans; you're worse than useless, you're worthless. ''The cold damp air brought no comfort; it only served to remind me of little Kyria. . . I'd been the first to reach the baby, to cuddle her body and try to revive her. . . but in vain. I watched the rolling breakers spout up in large jets of foam, swirling around the jagged rocks. They seemed to beckon me, promising relief from the terrible grief and agony. It was so tempting. One footpaw reached forward and found air; I closed my eyes, spreading my paws for the dive into the oblivious dark abyss below, to the waiting rocks. ''I just have to shift my weight and jump now. . . it would be so easy. As these dark thoughts flashed through my mind and I shifted my weight to my solid footpaw, preparing to kick off, the faces of the otterclans flashed before me; each individual from the oldest in the holt to the youngest kitt was watching his or her Rhulain in helpless terror and grief, crying. A soft, insistent breeze passed, caressing my face like gentle, understanding paws. Leatho's face suddenly stood out clearer than the rest. No! I can't abandon them! ''"I can't abandon them!" I repeated aloud, stumbling back until both footpaws were on firm ground. "I can't and I won't!" I stood there shaking in terror for a moment. ''What had I almost done?! ''My paws went to cover my face. It took a long while before I could stop shaking. "This is for you, Kyria." My voice cracked on the name, then rose, my alto ringing clear and alone. ''"By yon bonnie banks and by yon bonnie braes, where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomon' Where me and my true love will never meet again On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomon' '' ''Oh, ye'll tak' the high road and I'll tak' the low road, An' I'll be in Scotland afore ye, for me an' my true love will never meet again On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomon' '' '''Twas there that we parted in yon shady glen, on the steep, steep sides o' Ben Lomon' Where in a purple hue the Heilan' hills we view, An the moon comin' out in the gloamin'. Oh, ye'll tak' the high road and I'll tak' the low, and I'll be in Scotland afore ye; but me and my true love will never meet again On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomon' '' ''The wee birdies sing and the wild flowers spring, and in sunshine the waters are sleepin' But the broken heart it kens nae second spring again, tho' the waefu' may cease frae their greetin'. ''Oh, ye'll tak' the high road and I'll tak' the low, and I'll be in Scotland afore ye; for me and my true love will never meet again. . . ." '' ''"TIRIA!" A scream came from behind me, cutting me off. I whirled to see Leatho standing there with terror and grief on his ashen face. "Please, '''Tiria, don't do it!" "L-Leatho. . . I. . . I came up here. . . to grieve. . ." My friend saw me standing dangerously close to the edge, if I moved any closer to the edge at all, he knew his Rhulain would jump to her death. The former outlaw was sobbing. "Step away. . . from the. . . ledge! Please, ''Tiria, ''please! ''We love you. . . we need you!" As soon as he spoke, I realized what his fear was; I hurriedly ran away from the cliff and toward him. He held his paws wide and caught me in a hug. Leatho lost all feeling, his arms automatically moving up and rubbing my back with his paws as I sobbed, burying my face in his neck. "Tiria," Leatho gasped, hugging me like he'd never let me go. "Tiria, Tiria, Tiria, Tiria. . . . ." He pointed to one of the stars above. "Do you see that star? The darkness wants to kill it. But it's beautiful. It doesn’t realize that it is special because it is different! It still has a purpose! If that star gave up, the clouds would win, and nothing else would dare to stand against the darkness. But because of its courage… see what has happened!" Leatho shook me physically, gripping my shoulders firmly and gazing deep into my eyes. '"You '''are a light, Tiria Wildlough! And ''nothing ''can steal that from you, unless you give it away! '''Your light's important to the beasts who love you!" "Le-Leatho, I'm. . . I'm sor-sorry. . . . " I was almost incoherent now, wrapping my arms around his neck as I hugged him back. One thought echoed in my head: ''TIRIA, HOW COULD YOU BE SO STUPID?! ''I'd terrified the otter I loved. . . .I'd almost failed him! "Ta-Take me. . . ba-back to the. . . ho-holt. Ple-Please." Leatho didn't break the embrace. Instead, he scooped me into his strong arms like I was an otterkitt and descended the cliffside. His grief and fear came, pouring over the dam he'd struggled to keep up. "T-T-Tiria. . ." He was sobbing as hard as I was. "Ple-Please d-don't. . . le-let go! Le-Leatho, I ne-need you ri-right n-now. . . " The last member of the Shellhound clan strengthened his grip.""I'm. . I'm n-not letting you g-go, T-T-Tiria! Not now, not ev-ever!" Any reply I might have given was cut off as Leatho stopped, leaned in and silenced me with a kiss. It was a soft and tender kiss that I didn't know how long lasted. My world and mind stood completely still. I couldn't even tell if my heart was beating or not now, but I didn't care if it wasn't. I became dimly aware that I was returning the kiss with one of my own. I'd wanted to give him one for so long. . . I loved Leatho more than anything, including my own life. I strengthened my hug, never wanting this moment to end. After what seemed like an eternity, Leatho broke both the kiss and the silence. "I- I-I have a special pla-place I want to show you. I'm. . . I'm t-taking you there." My mind cleared just enough for me to notice he was descending on the opposite side from the holt. It was best if I wasn't around the whole holt now after what I'd caused. . . . "Just a m- moment first." Leatho paused, letting me down to the ground. Taking a deep breath, he cupped both paws around his mouth and roared at the tops of his lungs in the direction of Holt Summerdell. "Queen Tiria's okay! She's with me! Let everybeast know!" I hugged him again. "I'm m-more than okay wh-when I'm with y-y-you. . . " 'Chapter One: Love Admissions and Warlords' Leatho picked me up again like a kitt and continued down the slope getting continuously farther away from the holt. It wasn't until nightfall that we reached our destination. Leatho pulled back some tall thick weeds to reveal a small cave opening. "Go on, Tiria, there’s a ledge below that'll catch you." I squeezed through the gap and landed on the ledge. Leatho came down next after a bit of wiggling because he was bigger than me. I grabbed his arm and he helped me get down from the ledge to the cave floor. Still holding onto him, I followed him in the darkness which he seemed to be able to navigate by heart. He led me into a huge cavern that was hot and seemed to glow naturally. "Look up." Leatho whispered in my ear. I obeyed and gasped, the whole ceiling of the cavern sparkled like stars! "Oh Leatho, it’s so beautiful!" He looked at me with loving eyes. "Just like you, my love." I shivered with delight! He’d said I was beautiful. . . . "Are you cold? You're shivering." "Oh, um..." "Come with me." Leatho pulled me towards the left side of the cavern where a small hot spring was located. Leatho jumped in and beckoned me to do the same. I slipped into the pool, its warmth comforting under the ceiling of stars. Leatho playfully grabbed me and pulled me close to him. "So what do you think of my secret hideaway?" "I love it! It’s so beautiful and calm. I could stay here forever with you." I hugged him, lowering myself until the water reached my neck. He lowered himself to my level and kissed my cheek. "I the same except I’d want more than just us." "What do you mean?" "Little 'uns, Tiria. Haven't you ever wanted kits of your own?" "Well, yes, but I'm the Rhulain, and we aren't married yet. What would the others think?" Leatho smiled. "Who cares what they think? You're more than your title. As long as we're together, I'm happy." "So am I!" " 'When we're together or when we're apart, you're first in my thoughts and first in my heart.' " I beamed. "I didn't know you were a poet, Leatho; that's beautiful! Where'd you hear that?" "It's something my mother Dralian used to tell me, seasons rest her memory. I wanted you to hear it and know it, Tiria Wildlough: You're first in mine, and I '''never '''want to lose you! ''It terrified me today when I saw you on that ledge!" A shudder racked my body, my face flushed in shame and grief and I let myself sink below the surface. ''I'm such a disappointment right now. . . I'm sorry I did that . . . . '' Leatho went under with me, pulling me into another strong hug. I didn't have time to surface and get a breath before our lips met again and held. I wasn't focused on air now though, I was focused on the otter I loved. I finally tapped his shoulder, a signal I needed air. He gave me air, breathing for me and holding the kiss, and drew a heart symbol with his paw before pointing to me: '''I love you'. One of Leatho's paws traced gently, slowly over my head, from my forehead all the way back to my shoulders. He smiled at me with his eyes and tapped my shoulder with that paw. As I gave him air, I made the same sign he had, hugging him back. The two of us spent the night in the cave together, away from the distractions of the outside world. When we finally slept, we curled up spoon-fashion, paw in paw, Leatho on the outside spoon. Far from our peaceful isle, however, danger waited to strike . . . . Category:Blog posts Category:The Quean and the Rhulain Category:Unfinished Fanfiction Category:Book Crossovers Category:Collaborative Ideas